Zelos Starfighter Chronograph - Meteorite Limited Edition (ETA 2894)

We've picked out the 3 most interesting Zelos Starfighter dial colors for our customers: A mix of grey and blue meteorite, a midnight blue aventurine, and a full reverse lume classic panda.

Why We Love This Watch

The 41mm Zelos Starfighter is named for the the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, a futuristic looking fighter-bomber from the 1950s and 1960s that was the first aircraft to simultaneously hold the world speed and altitude records. The slim, angular Zelos lug design is a shout-out to the Starfighter's razor sharp looking wing design that enabled it to break the world speed record, and we see other Starfighter design cues from Zelos here as well, including the pilot watch style triangle with two dots on the twelve o'clock index, and the custom rotor design in the form of a turbine.

Meteorite dials are attention grabbers, and those from Zelos tend to sell out quickly. Not only can meteorite dials keep the wearer's interest as the light plays over them at different angles, showing of the unique Widmanstätten patterns that makes every dial different to the next, but they're fantastic talking points too, especially when someone spots the dial and you get to explain the material used is extra-terrestrial. Zelos have gone one step further here, and have tried something we've never seen before: blue meteorite sub-dials set in a grey meteorite main dial. We think this looks amazing and is a really nicely balanced design with the matching semi-skeletonized blued hands and blue edging on the applied indices, and date window at 6 o'clock.

The stylish good looks of the outside are equally matched with one of the most desirable and reliable Swiss mechanical chronograph movements you can find in a microbrand watch, the high beat 37 jewel ETA 2894-2 in elabore grade. Thanks to this movement choice, surprisingly this mechanical chronograph is thinner than you'd expect and clocks in at just 11mm in height, excluding the scratch resistant boxed sapphire crystal. The rest of the specs are equally good and include Swiss Super-LumiNova BGW9 lume, which glows blue, and a solid link bracelet with quick release pins, screwed links, a really nice taper from 22mm to 18mm, and a double pusher clasp that features a hidden ratcheting micro-adjustment offering four positions with no tools required to make any on the fly micro-adjustments.

Video Reviews

Specifications

Microbrand Watch Specifications

• Type: Meteorite dial bicompax chronograph.
• Reference: Zelos Starfighter Chronograph 'Meteorite'. (Limited Edition.)
• Color Scheme: Grey meteorite main dial. Blue meteorite sub-dials. Blue lume.
• Complications: Date window at 6 o'clock with color matched date wheel. Central chronograph (stopwatch) main second  hand. Small seconds time-of-day at 3 o'clock. 30 minute chronograph timer at 9 o'clock.
• Water Resistance: 5 ATM / 50 meters / 164 feet.
  
• Diameter: 41mm, excluding crown.
• Lug-to-Lug Length: 48mm.
• Lug Width: 22mm.
• Height: 11mm, excluding crystal.
• Case: 316L marine grade stainless steel case with finely brushed finish contrasted with polished beveled edges and scratch resistant 1200 Vickers hardened finish.
• Case Back: Screw down scratch resistant sapphire crystal exhibition case back displaying the Swiss ETA 2894 elabore movement with custom turbine style rotor.
• Dial Type: Meteorite with applied indices and semi-skeletonized blued handset.
• Dial Glass: Scratch resistant boxed sapphire crystal with inner AR coating.
• Bezel: Fixed steel bezel insert with tachymeter markings.
• Lume: Swiss Super-LumiNova BGW9 lume, which glows blue. Please note that Zelos' listing states there is also C3 green lume. However, we believe that to be incorrect and accidentally left in from a copy paste of a different colorway in this series. It appears that there is just blue lume, the most desirable lume color.
• Bracelet Included: 22mm solid link 316L marine grade steel bracelet (tapers down to 18mm) with scratch resistant 1200 Vickers hardening, and featuring quick release pins, screwed links and a double pusher milled clasp with ratcheting microadjustments. (No tools needed to make micro-adjustments on the fly.)
• Movement: 37 jewel Swiss ETA 2894-2 elabore grade automatic mechanical movement with custom turbine style rotor.
• Oscillation: High beat 28,800 BPH, (8 ticks per second.)
• Hacks: Yes.
• Hand Winds: Yes.
• Automatic Winding: Yes.
• Power Reserve: 42 hours.
• Manufacturer's Warranty: 1 year.